#hz089

The cabin room was cold and dark this early in the morning, especially when the ship wasn't in flight. Emile, sitting at the edge of his bed, dared a glance over his shoulder.

A Pikachu lay in his bed, curled in on himself alone, the fur around his eyes was still wet. Even in his sleep, he looked unhappy. Emile had never considered how small their Captain was before now.

It'd been almost a week sense Friede had fallen overboard, vanishing into a place unknown. They'd been grounded sense, with Cap locked away in the control room, silent and unmoving, until last night.

Emile rose from his bed, in his ears rang the Captain's sobs, something he'd never heard, never seen before. Cap was strong. He'd always been so strong. Strong enough for all of them.

His eyes fell upon a framed photo a Stoutland, greyer than he was brown, with a little boy with bright red eyes and shining white hair proudly showing off a gym badge next to him.

Emile looked to his window, the darkness of the night was creeping away, an inch at a time, ever so slowly. When they were in the air the sun rose so fast, but on the ground...

The man's eyes returned to the Pikachu, in the dark bed all alone, small and tired, with no spark in his eyes...

With a swift motion, Emile swiped Cap's hat from his headboard, along with Friede's googles. With a much gentler motion he scooped up his still resting Captain, then turned heel and strode confidently from his room.

"Captain... Cap..." A finger gently rubbed just above Cap's nose, causing his face to scrunch. His vision was blurry with sleep, and for just a moment he was sure the white haired man holding him was....

"Good morning, Cap." No, his voice was different.

Emile smiled down at the Captain, who rested cradled in the man's lap. His normally bunned white hair was loose and uncombed, blowing wildly in the wind.

"Glad you're up, you almost missed it." With Emile's help Cap sat up on the human's calf instead of full in his lap, facing away from him. It was so bright, he had to shut his eyes for a moment to get his barrings.

When they opened again, Cap found himself on top of Orla's Metagross, at least 40 feet above the top deck of the Brave Olivine, staring over the field they'd made an emergency landing in which from the ground seemed to stretch on for forever, but from here only lasted to the ocean, which really went on into the greater beyond

And there, above it all, was the sunrise. Bright and vibrant as always, just slightly below them, but creeping up ever closer.

Cap stared in amazement as he always had when he'd managed to soar above the sun. It never grew old, even after years aboard an airship, spending every morning watching the sun run to catch up with him.

Then he felt as though he was sinking, his chest ached and his eyes stung with tears when he remembered his dear partner, how the sun brought them together, how they'd built this life Together, watching his fall from the sky-

"Cap," Emile's voice was so gentle, his hands were so gentle. Cap was shaking. The sun was catching up with them.

"When I first boarded the Brave Olivine, it was right after Rusty had passed.." Emile gently pulled Cap back onto his lap, "It was also right after the worst loss I've ever had in battle.. A huge championship... and I blew it..."

Cap looked up at Emile from his lap, the man smiled.

"You remember, right? I was so down, I couldn't do anything I just... Felt like I was sinking. Every battle I fought I lost, everything I tried to do I failed at. I felt so..."

Emile lifted Cap back up and placed him gently off his lap, they were above the sun again, when had Metagross taken them higher?

"And then... You came into my room one morning when everything was still so dark and quiet, and you took me up to the top of the ship and showed me," Emile placed his hand on Cap's shoulder, the two stared into the Horizon, "This."

The human let out a choked laugh and relaxed back onto Metagross. Cap twisted around quickly, worried the human might fall. Emile smiled down to him.

"You showed me the Light when I couldn't find it, Cap. You pulled me up when I was sinking..." Emile took the Pikachu's paws, "You Saved Me."

His emphasis sent a chill down Cap's back, his soft smile made the aches in his heart feel lighter, his gentle hold felt so secure, like nothing could shake them.

"I know what it's like to loose a partner," Emile shifted a bit, pulling one of his hands away and placing it behind himself, "You feel so lost, helpless, stuck..."

Emile produced from behind him Friede's cracked goggles with Cap's hat rested gently on top of them.

"But we're here, Cap. We can help you see the light again, we can pull you out if you're sinking," His smile was so desperate, tears pricked his red eyes. Cap felt tears threatening to run over as well, "You're our Captain, and we're your crew."

"Pii...." Was the only sound Cap could make. He looked at the items Emile held out to him. He saw Freide in the blinding glare of those goggles, in the shine of his hat.

But he also saw Murdock, still making meals every night and taking extra care to make Cap's personal favorites and deliver them to him. He saw Orla running various checks on the ship, calibrating over and over to prevent anyone from falling off again. He saw Mollie lending her ear to everyone who needed it, he saw Ludlow reassuring everyone how tough Friede was, and even telling stories of situations he'd always overcome.

He saw the kids, Friede's kids, his students, lost and heartbroken and closing themselves off more and more by the day. He saw them giving in, losing the spark they'd just begun to hone. The spark Friede saw in them.

"Piika." Cap picked up Friede's goggles and turned to face the horizon. The sun had caught up, he stared at it on even ground. Another day was starting.

When they returned to the deck of the ship, Captain Pikachu bound from Metagross with a quick "Pii" of thanks, not a single step was wasted as he quickly made his way to the observation room.

Emile was slower, sliding off of Metagross carefully before giving the super computer a gentle pat.

"Thanks for your help, Metagross. I owe you."

"Meta!" Metagross replied cheerfully.

"Piiii-Ka!" Cap called impatiently. Emile turned to see the Captain had reached the Observation room but had to double back and await Emile sense the door rarely opened for Pokemon.

He'd climbed the railing of the stairs and taken his signature arms crossed pose, covering the strap of Friede's goggles, which he now wore across his back like a bag.

"Oh, right. Coming!" Emile called and hurried, which he rarely did, across the battle deck to the stairs.

At the third to last stair though his momentum froze. Cap's paw had gently come to his chin, tilting his head back, forcing him to look up at the Pikachu.

The motion had completely caught Emile off guard, stalling his thoughts as he stared up at Cap, who smiled so kindly, who's eyes were so gentle, who appeared to be glowing in the bright morning sun.

Then, with a smirk, The Captain leaned in, and stole a kiss from the artist's lips.

Emile's eyes went wide, his face redder than the Captain's cheeks. His legs buckled and for a moment he nearly stumbled back down the stairs, before finding support in the railing, using the pole to gently slide him back to the deck, where he sat on his knees.

"wha- c- ca-?? Cap???" His words fumbled, his hand covered his mouth. You could practically see the question marks circling his head.

Captain Pikachu, looking larger than life above Emile at the top of the stairs, tilted his head forward in just the right way for the morning sun to cast shadow over just one of his eyes, his expression the sort of confident smirk he usually has at the wheel. Emile didn't think his face could get any redder.

"ka Chuu."